Improvement in boot-stretchers



J. C. COMPTON & H. V. 'HARTZ.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. COMPTON AND HENRY V. HARTZ, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT-STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,446, dated April 7, 1874 application filed January 22, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN C. COMPTON and HENRY V. HARTZ, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Boot-Stretcher; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawing forming apart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal central vertical section. Fig. 2 is a top view, the instep-piece being left out.

The invention relates to means whereby the toe, instep, or foot part of a shoe or boot may be stretched, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

represents a two-part toe, providedwith inslde grooves a a, converging toward the toe. In these grooves work the corresponding tongues b b of a slide, B, whose forward movement stretches the toe, and whose backward movement produces the reverse effect. The slide B has a raised top, the upwardly rising flange or incline b of which operates in conjunction with a reversed incline, c, on the pendent flange c of a loose instep-piece, 0. Thus the forward movement of the slide B is made also to stretch separately or simultaneously the instep of the boot or shoe. The

slide B has a shank, 12 with several perforations, and held at different points of adjustment in the heelsockct D by a cross bolt, (1, while in a longitudinal subjacent groove, 11 is a pivoted adjustable elongator or bar, E, which also has several perforations, and is held at various points of adjustment in socket D by a cross-bolt, d. On the socket-piece D is formed a rack, in which the pinion F works to reciprocate the said socket, while the pinion is itself operated by the vertical worm G, which is provided with a diametrical open slot on top, or some other aperture or construction by which a wrench, screw-driver, or the end of instep-piece may readily be made to turn the worm.

All this actuating mechanism is arranged in connection with the heel-piece H, that has a cross-bar, h, in the middle of which the worm G is swiveled. l is a bolt, that prevents the separatorslide B from entering the hollow two-part toe until the stretcher has been elongated to suit the size of the boot or shoe that is to be stretched.

The operation is as follows: The stretcher is placed within the boot or shoe, the crossbolts (1 (1 being previously withdrawn, while the cross-bolt I is inserted in a perforation of the up wardly-risin g flange b of the separatorslide B. The worm being now turned, the pinion moves the racked socket D with the shoulder of the uprising flange of slide B 5 but, as the latter is prevented by bolt I from entering the toe-piece, the effectis to move the heel and toe piece apart until the length of boot or shoe is attained. The bar E is then locked by the insertion of the bolt (1, while the socket D is moved back by reversing the actuating mechanism, and locked by the bolt (1, the bolt 1 being now withdrawn. A forward movement of slide B will now spread the two parts of the toe-piece separately, or at the same time with the instep-piece.

Having. thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with two-part'toepiece vA, provided with grooves a a,and instep-piece 0, having incline c, of the single slide B, provided with the tongues b b and top incline b, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the hollow toe-piece A and heel-pieceH with the pivotedbar E,

provided with several perforations, that it may be locked, at various points of adjustment, in the socket D, as and for the purpose set forth. 3. The combination, with toe and heel pieces, of slide-separator B, having several perforations in its shank, and one in its upwardly-rising flange b the movable socket D, and the pins (1 I, as and for the purpose specified.

- JOHN G. COMPTON.

HENRY V. HARTZ. Witnesses G. T. SMITH, B. S. HARRIS. 

